Nathan and Haley: Love Conquers
by Taylor Jae
Summary: This super romantic story shows how, with love, Nathan and Haley can get through anything. It re-caps events starting with the school shooting episode, season three, episode 16. Super romantic and super filled with Naley!
1. Damsel in Distress

Hey, guys!

I love One Tree Hill and Naley and decided to write a story about how I think the events that occurred in the show should've went. I may not re-cap everything, and if I make Haley or Nathan or Lucas do something that they just wouldn't do, tell me OK? I'll be happy to hear from you.

I love One Tree Hill and I especially love Naley!

REVIEW!!!!

Nathan and Haley: Love Conquers

Glass was everywhere.

Shards of it were all over the floor and more still were falling out of the window pane that had just been shot by Jimmy Edwards.

Then, the chaos started.

Students and faculty were now running rampant through the halls of Tree Hill High, and principal Turner had already notified the SWAT team, the police, and anyone else important or relevant to this horrendous school shooting.

Outside, the boys' basketball bus had just pulled up in front of the school. They all knew something was wrong the second they all clambered off the bus and saw the madness. They knew something was terribly wrong.

Their suspicions were confirmed when Brooke ran up to Lucas, frantic and crying, and said, "someone has a gun inside and they're shooting."

"Haley!" Nathan immediately called for at this news. She was the only thing on his mind. He had to find her. He had to find her and he had to save her. He had to. He just had to.

Nathan ran ahead, shouting her name and running for the school despite Whitey's demands to stay put. Lucas ran after him, to try and stop him from endangering his life.

"Nate!" Lucas called. "Nate!" Unable to stop him this way, Lucas ran up and tackled him. Nathan threw his brother off of him and stood up, brushing himself off quickly. Lucas did the same.

"What is _wrong_ with you, Luke?" Nathan asked, exasperated.

"You can't go in there."

"Haley's inside."

"You _can't_."

"I can", Nathan said. "Haley's inside, Luke. Haley. You would die if anything happened to her, right?"

"Of course I would."

"Then…OK", Nathan said, and he started to walk towards the school again.

"No, not OK", Luke said.

"Look, Luke", Nathan said. "Haley's my wife, alright? I need to save her. I thought you of all people would understand that."

"I still don't like it", Lucas said. Nathan sighed, frustrated.

"Why won't you let me save her?"

"Because you might not be able to save yourself", Lucas said, but he headed inside, too, following Nathan.

Meanwhile, Haley had been in the Tutor Center when the shooting occurred and she now huddled inside the room along with Skills, Rachael, Abby Brown, Marcus, and the bad guy, the shooter, the boy that was…Jimmy Edwards.

The school was silent and still as the boys walked through the empty and eerie halls. There was blood, glass, and all kinds of school books, papers, backpacks, and other things scattered all over the floor.

Nathan grabbed a bat, threatening to hurt anyone who hurt his wife, his everything, _his Haley. _He couldn't stand the thought of something happening to her and him not being able to know when or where or able to stop it. She could be hurting right now! Right now! He was so frantic with worry for her, Nathan wanted to hump out of his skin.

Lucas headed off to fine Peyton, after Brooke had told him she was missing. Nathan went on, looking for Haley.

Back in the Tutor Center, Haley was nervous. She felt all fidgety and weird. Something, somehow, told her something wasn't right about where she was. She could feel it.

She looked over at her fellow Tree Hill High classmates and saw that she knew everyone, including…Jimmy Edwards. She began to feel very scared. She opened her mouth and let out a scream.

"Nathan!"

Nathan heard his name being screamed and he was pretty sure it was Haley. He hoped to God she was all right.

"Nathan!"

He heard the scream again, only more muffled and more desperate. He shivered and then Nathan headed in the direction of the sound.

Haley had just screamed Nathan's name, only to have Jimmy Edwards grab her by the arm and put a hand over her mouth the silence her. From the angle, she could see the gleaming black of the hand gun in his front sweatshirt pocket and prayed Nathan would come for her.

That was how Nathan found her when he burst through the Tutor Center doors.

"What are you doing to my wife?!" Nathan screamed at Jimmy. He helped Haley out of Jimmy's evil grasp and into his own. She was shaking. Nathan hugged her and smoothed her hair to soothe her. Haley buried her head in Nathan's chest and hoped that this would all soon be over.


	2. Hoping for Good People

Disclaimer: I own nothing of One Tree Hill or it's characters, or any events re-capped in this story.

Hey, guys!

Because of the two great reviews I got for this after only not even 24 hours after posting it, I got so excited I decided to write chapter two. If this is anything like my Zanessa story, its sure to be a hit. Not to boast, of course. I'm just so excited you guys liked it!

REVIEW!!!

Nathan and Haley: Love Conquers

Chapter 2

"Do it! Do it now!"

Jimy had just commanded Nathan to make a line across the floor of the Tutor Center with masking tape. Nathan obeyed and then, at Jimmy's command again, everyone got behind the line.

"You scared?" Jimmy asked the seven now. They all nodded numbly. "How 'bout you, hero?" He asked, looking at Nathan. "You scared?"

"Yeah", Nathan said. "I am."

And he was.

Haley was clinging to him now. She had gone silent after throwing Jimmy her cell phone when he demanded it and after Nathan had shouted, "stop pointing the gun at her, all right?" in an exasperated and frightened voice that made her want to cry.

Jimmy stepped forward now, looking _very_ intimidating, pointing his gun at them again.

'Haley, get behind me" Nathan said quietly, trying not to show how scared he was. Haley obeyed. She moved from beside and somewhat behind him, to all the way behind Nathan now. Nathan's motto now, in this moment was; if you plan to hurt Haley, you'll have to go through _me._

Haley was still now and Nathan gripped her hand tightly. As scared as she was, she felt safe with Nathan so near.

Jimmy had already demanded their cell phones and he now backed down from his post as the Looming, Ominous Hate-Filled Jimmy Edwards. Haley had helped Abby Brown out of the room to get her insulin for her diabetes, which Nathan was so proud of. In the midst of this terrible situation, Haley was still able to help someone who needed it. He couldn't have been any more proud of her than he was that day, right then. He was sure of it. Now the students—including Mouth, who'd also found his way to the Tutor Center—had retreated to different corners of the room, Nathan and Haley off in a corner.

"You shouldn't have come back for me", Haley said quietly now. "I love you for doing it, but I wish you were safe."

"I could never be safe without you", Nathan told her honestly. " I knew when Brooke ran up to Lucas and I, telling us about the shooting, the only thing on my mind was finding you, keeping you safe."

"I heard what you said, Scott", Jimmy said now. "In the time capsule. About Haley. Guys like you can get away with it."

"Guys like me, huh?" Nathan said. "You can pass judgement about guys like me all you want, but when someone stereotypes you, there's gunplay?'

"Whatever", Jimmy said.

"This is wrong, man. All of this", Nathan said. ":And I think you know that."

"You know", Jimmy said. "They'll all remember me as a monster. I wonder how they'll remember all of you."

"Jimmy, don't do this", Mouth said, near tears. "Turn yourself in. I'll come with you."

Jimmy said nothing, only inching closer to the door as Mouth spoke.

"Jimmy", Haley pleaded. "Please!"

But with that Jimmy sailed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Haley lowered her head now in despair, resting it against her husband's strong chest. Nathan was the stronger one, he let her be. Haley closed her eyes and she felt a few tears slip out from her eyes and down her cheeks. She could feel Nathan stroking her hair to soothe her.

Just then, a shot rang out. And then another one a while later.

It made Nathan wonder if there were any good people left in the world at all. But when he looked down at Haley, he knew there had to be. He just would have to hope that there would be more like her in this world, this world so filled with hatred and danger. And that they would have the courage to come in this time of trial and be strong for them all. And be strong for him and Haley, because he didn't know if he could be any stronger even if he tried.

Then Nathan lowered his own head and cried.


	3. A Dismal Meeting of Friends

Disclaimer: I own nothing of One Tree Hill or it's characters or any events re-capped in this story.

Hey, guys!

I haven't updated because my log-in wasn't working for some reason. I finally got it to work, thank goodness. It was driving me crazy not to update, and fix the typo in the title of the story. I'm so happy I finally got in! I hope you guys like chapter 3! And, don't worry, the chapters will get longer. Promise.

Nathan and Haley: Love Conquers

Chapter 3

Hours later, the school was finally taken off lockdown status. Nathan grabbed Haley's hand and they both headed out of the Tutor Center together.

When they came to a hallway filled with rows of lockers, Haley gasped. And then Nathan saw it, too.

The bodies of both Keith and Jimmy Edwards were both strewn across the floor, lifeless and limp. It made Nathan sick to look at them.

"Don't look, Hales", Nathan said, shiedling Haley by holding her tightly against him, her head hidden in his shirt. "Don't look."

At that, the couple made their way out of the school, feeling numb.

Brooke and Lucas were the first people they saw.

"Nathan!" Lucas shouted. "Oh my God, Haley!" They both looked up, Nathan and Haley. Lucas and Brooke ran to them. Nathan and Lucas hugged, then Brooke and Haley, and then Lucas and Haley, Nathan and Brooke. Both girls were trying hard not to cry, but not doing a very good job at it.

"Peyton's been shot", Lucas said, when they all pulled away from each other.

At the news, her knees went weak and Haley felt herself sway a bit. She had to steady herself on Nathan.

"Hales?" Nathan asked. "You OK?"

Haley nodded, and snuggled against her husband, even though she knew she would never be OK again.

"Let's go visit Peyton", Haley suggesed finally, to rid her mind of the day's awful memories, at least for a little while.

And so, they went to see their friend, in agony together.


	4. Nightmares

Disclaimer: I own nothing of One Tree Hill, it's characters, or the events re-capped in this story.

Nathan and Haley: Love conquers

Chapter 4

"Haley!" Nathan shouted.

Nathan was sweating and shaking. He shot upright from sleep, breathing hard. He could feel Haley's warm, gentle hands wrap around his waist, hugging him.

"Relax, sweetie", she said. "It's OK."

But it wasn't.

For the past week and a half, Nathan had been having terrible nightmares about the day of the school shooting. In every one, he'd see Haley, in Jimmy's evil grasp, his gun against her head, her lying lifeless on the cold floor, bleeding to death. He'd see the whole shooting occur and be stuck in his tracks, unable to stop Jimmy and unable to save Haley.

"I just can't get it out of my head, Hales", Nathan said now, snapping back to reality. "In every dream, you die, and that scares me more than anything."

"But I'm not dead, Nathan", Haley said, snuggling close to him. "All because you came to save me, of course."

"I know", he said. "And that's why I have to protect you. I never, ever, ever want to come that close to losing you again."

Haley kissed him then, slow and sweet, reassuring him that everything was going to be OK, when she wasn't sure herself if that was going to be the truth, or not.

______________

The next day, Lucas ran into Nathan on the quad, while Haley was with Brooke.

"Hey, Nate", Lucas said.

"Hey, Luke."

"Nate, what's wrong? You've been acting funny lately. Everything OK?"

"Well", Nathan said, "I've been having these awful dreams about Haley. They're bad ones, Luke. Really bad ones. In every dream, Jimmy kills Haley, and in every dream, I'm powerless to stop him. In every dream, she dies."

"Haley's not dead, Nate", Lucas said then. At that point, Nathan had heard that a million times.

"I know. That's what Haley says, too, when I wake her with my screaming."

"Haley knows about the dreams?"

"Haley knows about everything." And then he backtracked. "Well, maybe not everything."

"What do you mean?" Lucas asked, confused.

"I mean, she doesn't know how freaked out I am about something happening to her. I came so close to losing her that day, Luke. If I hadn't saved her, she could be dead."

"I'm glad you went back, Nate" Lucas said now. "I'm glad you went back to save Haley."

"Yeah", Nathan said. "I am, too."

"And don't be afraid of losing her, Nate", Lucas said. "With you, Haley will never be lost."

"Yeah", Nathan said, even though that was exactly the thing that scared him the most.

____________

Hey, people!

I'm writing this story this way because I wanted Nathan and Haley to be more affected by the shooting than they really were, in the show. To me, it didn't seem dramatic enough in the actual episode. They were all happy and in love, which was great, I just wanted more emotion from them. I mean, notice how I deliberately say that when Nathan ran into Lucas, Haley was with Brooke. I wanted Nathan to be freaked out. I wanted him to be super protective over her. And don't worry, Haley will get her chance to be scared, too. That'll be coming in the next chapter or so.

REVIEW!!!!


	5. Going Back Into a Time of Trial

Nathan and Haley: Love Conquers

Chapter 5

A few days later, it was time for Haley to return to the Tutor Center.

She wasn't so sure she could do it.

For the past two weeks, the school had been getting refitted with new, safe technology, and the Tutor Center had been off limits.

And all that time, Haley had been waiting and wanting to get back to tutoring, because it was something she truly enjoyed. Heck, it was the thing that led her to Nathan, and that one event had changed her life forever. It was super important to her, in more ways than one.

Now, though, she didn't. Enjoy it, I mean.

She was pretty sure her shaky knees, increased heart rate and dry mouth, plus images from that horrible day swirling around and around in her head, were pretty decent indicators that she was nowhere near ready to return to the Tutor Center.

So she called Nathan.

"Hey", he said when he picked up. "Everything OK?" Hearing his voice made Haley want to cry. Her voice trembled and tears threatened to fill her eyes. She tried to sound brave as she said, "I-I'm outside the Tutor Center and I-I don't know if…" Her voice trailed off and her chin was quivering. She was going to cry now. She knew she was.

"I'll come", Nathan said. "I'm coming right now."

And he was.

"Guys, I gotta go get Haley", he told Lucas, Skills, and the rest of the basketball team.

"Where is she?" Lucas wanted to know.

"Tutor Center", Nathan answered and then Lucas knew.

Nathan ran off then, heading for the Tutor Center, and heading for Haley.

_______________

When Nathan arrived at the Tutor Center doors, he found Haley, who was shaking and looking very unsure.

"Hales, hey", Nathan said, hugging his wife.

"I just don't know if I can do this", Haley said, feeling very pathetic and pitiful.

"Hey, hey, it's OK", Nathan said, smoothing her hair.

"That day was just so awful, you know?" Her voice was muffled by the fabric of Nathan's shirt.

"I know, Hales. I know", Nathan said, hugging her tightly, while the other students rushed by, lingering at the couple's show of affection.

At school, Nathan and Haley were known as the Married Couple. Everyone knew of their marriage, including the teachers, considering Principal Turner had a copy of their marriage license. That's why Nathan and Haley always got seats next to each other in class and when called upon using last names, Haley was always referred to as "Mrs. Scott", as she should be. It was her name now and she was prouder of it more than anything else in the world.

And that was why Haley was so glad and grateful Nathan came to rescue her the day of the shooting, and save her from Jimmy Edwards. It brought Nathan back to her in a way that hadn't been done yet. He'd helped her, talked with her, made love to her, but he hadn't rescued her. Haley thought that when he had done that, he'd truly made his way back to her, for good and for forever and always.

Thinking about that awful day, Haley began to cry, right in the middle of the school's busiest hallway.

"Hales, it's OK", Nathan said softly, after letting his wife cry for a while. "You don't have to do it if you don't want to. We can walk away from all of it right now."

"No", Haley said now, lifting her head. "I want to. I'm just not sure I can."

"I can come with you", Nathan offered sheepishly.

"You'd spend your free period with me, instead of the team?"

"Of course, Haley. I'd do anything for you."

"Thanks, Nate", Haley said, smiling. "Let's go."

The couple broke apart and they faced the Tutor Center. Nathan grabbed Haley's hand, gripped it tightly.

Haley looked unsure again as she now faced the doors.

"I'll be with you, Hales", Nathan said. "Go on, it's OK."

She gripped his hand tightly and then both she and Nathan went through the Tutor Center doors.

When the couple entered the room, Haley headed for her student, a pretty freshman named Holly.

"Hi, Holly", Haley said, smiling. "I'm Haley James Scott and I'll be your tutor. Oh, and this is my husband, Nathan."

"Gee, thanks", Nathan said dryly, joking of course.

"Sorry, Nate", Haley said. "Usually Nathan's not with me, but today was my first day back in here since the shooting and I kind of lost it."

"Really?" Holly asked, in awe.

"Really", Haley answered. "I was a mess, sobbing right in the middle of the hallway."

"No, I mean, you're really married?" Nathan and Haley smiled at each other.

"Yep", Haley said.

"Wow. You must love each other an awful lot."

"We do", Nathan said. "We do."

"So, Holly", Haley said, turning her attention to the task at hand, "what is it you need some help with?"

"Compound, Complex, and Complete Sentences", Holly said, sighing. "I just get them mixed up, and then I get confused."

"I had trouble with these, too", Haley said. "Right up until last year."

"Really?"

"Uh-huh. I finally figured them out, and I'll help you do the same. You ready?"

"Yep!" Holly said and the tutoring session went on from there.

At the end, Holy had proclaimed excitedly, "I finally understand! I never could before and now I do! You're the best tutor, Haley!"

"Well, thanks, Holly", Haley said, smiling. "I'm just glad you understand them."

"Me too", Holly said. She then scooped up her books, smiled, and left.

When she was gone, Nathan said, "You know, you really are a great tutor, Hales."

But Haley wasn't listening.

She was staring hard at the piece of masking tape on the floor.

"Nathan!" Haley said breathlessly. "The tape! It's till there!" She didn't know if she could handle anymore memories from that awful day.

"I'll take care of that", Nathan said and he solemnly got up and removed the tape from the floor. He then stuffed the wad into the garbage.

Haley walked over the Nathan, and leaned on him. He put his arms around her and they both looked out the window, remembering that awful, terrible day. In that moment Haley knew who they were both thinking about: That person who'd caused them so much anguish, so much pain, the one who was in so much pain himself, and also, that same person they wished they could've saved.


	6. Adjusting, Sort Of

Hey, guys.

I just watched the School shooting episode on YouTube and got inspired to write another chapter. I know already it's going to be filled with tears and pain, but I'll try to not deviate from my previous chapters.

Nathan and Haley: Love Conquers

Chapter 6

About a week later, Nathan and Haley were adjusting. They were adjusting to seeing an empty spot all the time, whether in the halls, in class, or in the people in general. Everyone was missing that one piece now and only Jimmy Edwards, the lost boy, could fill it. Haley didn't know what was sadder: Knowing who could fill that empty space or knowing that that one person could not.

Walking past or into the Tutor Center was still hard for her, too. Haley often had to brace herself before going in, taking deep breaths so she would not lose it. After that first visit back, where Nathan had to rescue her, she still felt all sick inside when she entered that room. A couple of times, she actually had to dash back outside to throw up, or almost do so. When she told Nathan about that, he was really worried.

"Maybe we should get you some help", he'd suggested.

"No, no", Haley immediately said. "I don't need help like that. It'll just…take a while to go away, that's all." But even as she said those words, Haley knew that the awful day in the Tutor Center would never, ever go away.

Nathan, however, knew that this whole deal was bigger than even himself. Nathan knew it would take a lot for Haley to be better, to be OK, to be like she was before that all happened. He knew that that day had affected her more than she was willing to admit.

He found the whole thing—her unwillingness to face pain—understandable, but also kind of not. He had done it, _he _had faced the pain. Sure, the nightmares were not his choice, per say, but they had to count for something, right?

And there was another point.

During the nightmares, Haley was always there to soothe him. By the looks of it, she would seem totally and completely fine to the average person. But Nathan knew her better than anyone, even better than Haley knew herself, and he knew that she was indeed not totally and completely fine and that her feelings hadn't been dealt with like his had.

It made his heart hurt when he saw her nowadays. Her face always looked so miserable and sad, even when she tried her best to act happy. _I just wish she'd deal with her feelings_, Nathan prayed one night lying in bed next to her. He wasn't much for religion, just like he wasn't much for speeches, but he knew that this was too important a thing to not pray about.

Little did he know, his wish was about to come true.

It happened one evening. They had stopped by Peyton's to visit, now that she was home from the hospital. Nathan had held open the door for Haley and she stepped outside gingerly. When they were nearing the car, Nathan got a good look at his wife's face and immediately knew something was wrong. Haley's face was red and slightly blotchy, with big tears running down her cheeks, though she tried to wipe them away.

"What?" She said when he saw. "I'm fine."

"Hales, sweetie, you are not fine", Nathan said, taking her in his arms and helping her into the front passenger seat, even though she didn't need him to. Nathan then got in the car himself and drove them to the beach. Once there, he helped Haley out again, even though she still didn't need him to, and then they sat themselves down in the sand. Haley rested her head on Nathan's shoulder.

"I'm sorry", she whispered quietly to the tiny pebbles and rocks and grains on the ground.

"Sorry? For what? Hales, you have nothing to be sorry for."

"Yes I do. If I hadn't left you for music then you would've never said those things in the time capsule. Then it never would've been released."

"Hales, you know that's not right", Nathan said, wondering where his wife's ill logic came from. "The entire release of the capsule had nothing to do with you, or with me. It had nothing to do with you leaving me, or you coming back. Do you understand?"

"If I had just done something, that day, you know? If I had just tried harder to rescue him, you know?"

"Hales, you did try. And you succeeded. Remember Abby Brown? You got her some help, so she could get her insulin. Remember that?"

"Yeah", Haley said, "but she didn't need to be saved. At least, not like Jimmy did."

"You're sure about that?"

Now Haley's face crumpled with hurt. The tears were back and this time, they were bigger than they were before. Haley buried her head in her hands and Nathan held her as she cried.

She cried for a long, long time.

* * *

The next day, the Scotts having returned to their home at about midnight and sleeping very uneasily, Haley was very jittery and nervous. She was just waiting for someone to jump out and shoot her or Luke or her other friends or…_Nathan_. That thought alone drew tears to her eyes that she tried to wipe away very quickly so Nathan wouldn't see. After her crying jag last night, she didn't think he'd appreciate another one.

While they were walking to class, a car went by, way over on the other side of the street. It didn't bother Nathan, but it sure bothered Haley. All of the sudden, she wasn't there anymore. He turned around to see her crouched on the ground, covering her head, as if something were about to come toward and she was trying to protect herself from whatever the thing was. The kids around her were laughing and pointing. Nathan wanted to knock their lights out. He rushed over to Haley, crouched down next to her.

"Hales, it's OK", Nathan said quietly. "Just a car." He looked up at the laughing kids and the pointing kids and said sternly, "if you have any respect or decency in you at all, you'll scatter."

And then they did.

With the distraction gone, Nathan said again, "it was a car, Hales. Way over on the other side of the street. You're safe now."

"No, I'm not!" Haley wanted to scream. "I feel afraid all the time and I hate it! I hate that the shooting had to happen. I hate what it's done to everyone!"

But she didn't.

Instead, Haley had mumbled, "I know" and had gotten up off the ground with the help of Nathan, feeling numb and stupid. She'd insisted she was OK when Nathan asked her and asked her.

Except she wasn't. Haley wasn't OK at all.

* * *

Hey, readers!

I know it's not very Nathan-like to use words like decency or whatever and I know that line was a bit far-fetched, I just couldn't think of anything else. I hope this part about Haley being afraid isn't too random. My thought was that she'd have a delayed reaction, feeling hurt and sad right now instead of right away after it happened. I just wanted Nathan in a position where he'd be extra sweet and sensitive to Haley, because I love when he's like that on the real show, especially in season four, my most favorite season of all. Also, I feel like I'm saying "she/he knew that that awful day in the Tutor Center would never go away" a lot. So, I'll try not to do that so much, OK?

REVIEW!!!!


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